For additional information on this funding opportunity, assistance, or
time-line and budget templates, please contact:
Sue Hills - Phone: (907) 474-5106 - Fax (907) 474-5571 - email:
shills [at] ims.alaska.edu
FUNDING OPPORTUNITY - DUE 28 September 1999
The Alaskan Coastal Marine Institute (CMI), established by cooperative
agreement among the University of Alaska, the State of Alaska, and the
Minerals Management Service (MMS), is pleased to announce a funding
opportunity for Federal Fiscal Year 2000. The purpose of the CMI is to
provide matching MMS funding for research in Alaska on coastal, marine, and
human environmental issues pertaining to offshore minerals exploration and
extraction. Up to one million dollars per year are available as matching
(co-funding) for projects. Researchers must secure at least one dollar of
non-federal matching funds for every dollar from the CMI. Acceptable
non-federal match includes funding from university, municipal, state, or
private sources. The match may also be in-kind, such as needed services. No
limit is set on the dollar amount for each project, but the intent of the
CMI is to fund several smaller projects rather than fewer large ones.
Projects may be up to three years in duration.
Projects should address one or more of the Framework Issues and focus on an
area of current interest to MMS (currently primarily the Beaufort Sea and
secondarily Cook Inlet/Shelikof Strait), or be generally applicable
regardless of geographic area (e.g., laboratory studies). Of highest
interest are scientific studies that provide information needed for
decisions regarding OCS development in the nearshore central Beaufort Sea,
especially research applicable to the Northstar and Liberty projects. At
least one researcher on each project must be associated with the University
of Alaska. However, the University researcher is not required to be the
scientific lead PI. Please contact CMI if you need help in making this
linkage.
FRAMEWORK ISSUES
Scientific studies for better understanding marine, coastal, or human
environments affected or potentially affected by offshore oil and gas or
other mineral exploration and extraction on the outer continental shelf;
Modeling studies of environmental, social, economic, or cultural processes
related to OCS gas and oil activities in order to improve scientific
predictive capabilities;
Experimental studies for better understanding of environmental processes,
or the causes and effects of OCS activities;
Projects which design or establish mechanisms or protocols for sharing data
or scientific information regarding marine or coastal resources or human
activities in order to support prudent management of oil, gas, and marine
mineral resources; and
Synthesis studies of scientific environmental or socioeconomic background
information relevant to the OCS gas and oil program.
In general, scientific studies that will help managers and regulators make
better decisions about persistent issues relating to offshore oil and gas
and other marine minerals are desirable. Specific MMS information needs are
detailed in the MMS Alaska OCS Region's Environmental Studies Strategic
Plan (ESSP) and can be viewed at the Alaska Region web site
(http://www.mms.gov/alaska/ess/essp/sp.htm). Hard copy of the ESSP can be
viewed at the CMI office in Fairbanks and at the MMS office in Anchorage.
Offerers are encouraged to review this plan, especially Part B.
"Descriptions of Proposed Studies" for descriptions of needed information.
Proposals that successfully address these needs are particularly
encouraged. However, proposals are not limited to the needs described in
the ESSP. If you have research interests that fall outside these specific
areas but still believe the CMI program may want to fund your work, please
contact CMI before proceeding. Such work will have a lower priority and
will be considered on a case-by-case basis.
Inclusion of graduate or undergraduate students is encouraged as is
involvement of local residents and communication of results with the
general public. Projects may include continuing education of academic and
regulatory communities on topics relating to the Framework Issues through
development of short courses, workshops and seminars. Graduate students may
propose projects through the sponsorship of a faculty member.
EVALUATION
Preproposals will be evaluated on the quality and clarity of the formulated
question, the adequacy of the execution, and the overall relevance of the
project to CMI framework issues. Applicants will be notified in early
November 1999; full proposals will be due in early December 1999. Final
decisions will be made on proposals in February 2000, and funds should be
available by May 2000.
PREPROPOSAL CONTENT
Each preproposal must include the following sections. Sections 2-6 should
total no more than 5 pages combined of single-spaced text.
- Cover page (institutional, signed by PI(s) and appropriate
institutional representative) - Abstract
- Background and Relevance to at least one specific Framework Issue
- Objectives/Hypotheses
- Methods/Analyses
- Logistics
- References
- Budget
- Time line, including Deliverables
- CV (maximum of 2 pages) for each Principal Investigator (PI) and co-PI
The signed institutional cover page is required to be completely signed at
the time of submission for the preproposal to be considered. It should have
signatures of each PI, the dean/director for each PI, the fiscal officer of
the unit in which the proposal originates, and the authorized
organizational representative for the campus on which the proposal
originates. For example, if PIs from the Institute of Arctic Biology (IAB)
and the Institute of Marine Science (IMS) collaborate on a project that is
prepared in the School of Fisheries and Ocean Sciences (SFOS) office and
given an SFOS tracking number, the cover page should have signatures of the
PIs, the Director of IAB, the Director of IMS, the fiscal officer of SFOS,
and the UAF office of Arctic Research (Ted DeLaca's). If you are uncertain
who must sign your cover sheet, please contact CMI.
Referencing or otherwise identifying ongoing or previous projects that bear
on the proposed work is recommended. Please pay attention to the Framework
Issues and other factors listed as important to the selection process.
Failure to do so may waste your time and jeopardize an otherwise acceptable
project.
Deliverables and logistics, including quarterly (beginning of January,
April, July, and October), annual (due in late May), draft final, and final
reports should be shown on the time line. A time-line template is available
on request via email or hard copy from the CMI. Please note that a draft
final report will be due approximately three months before submission of
the final report for editorial and scientific review.
The logistics section should briefly describe fieldwork, lab analysis,
travel, report development, etc., that are planned for the life of the
project. Greater project and budget detail will be required if your project
is selected to be developed as a full proposal.
BUDGET
The preproposal budget should be a relatively accurate estimate of expected
project costs in each general category. The final dollar amount may change
with final proposal preparation.
- Personnel: All personnel involved in the project, by name or job title,
and time commitment for each. In the budget justification section, detail
the responsibilities of each. - Travel: Number of trips to each destination and number of travelers. If
you are not located in Fairbanks, please include travel for one day to a
winter Technical Steering Committee meeting in Fairbanks (February) where
you will be expected to present a status report on your project. - Services: Major categories. Subcontracts will show up as a line item
here. A separate budget page is required for each subcontractor. Contact
the CMI for details. - Supplies: Major categories, under $2500.
- Equipment: Number of individual items and cost per item. MMS prefers
equipment to be purchased or provided as part of the match; otherwise it
will be MMS property. - Tuition: Total.
- Indirect cost: Calculate at current rate for your unit. Subcontracts are
assessed UA indirect costs on the first $25K. Work done by non-UA personnel
(e.g., collaborators at another University) that is to be paid for with CMI
funds is usually shown as a subcontract. This area can be complex; please
contact CMI or the SFOS Proposal Officer for assistance. - Budget justification: Explanations of items in the budget.
Please work through your own department's proposal officer. If necessary,
proposals can be prepared through SFOS. If you are not sure how to proceed
or interpret the above budget items, please contact the CMI or the SFOS
Fiscal Officer at (907) 474-7928 for clarification. An example preproposal
budget page is available via email or hard copy from the CMI.
Unless a major revision is recommended during review, increases in the
final budget for the project over that presented with the preproposal will
require a detailed explanation. Substantial budget increases from
preproposal to full proposal may jeopardize project acceptance.
Non-federal matching funds must be clearly identifiable and auditable.
Please check with the SFOS Proposal Officer on all intended match to be
sure it meets requirements. Letters confirming support and justifying match
amounts are encouraged on the preproposal and are required for the final
proposal. Potential offerers are strongly encouraged to contact CMI first.
DEADLINES
Please submit preproposals to:
University of Alaska Coastal Marine Institute
School of Fisheries and Ocean Sciences
University of Alaska Fairbanks
Fairbanks AK 99775-7220
Mailed preproposals must be postmarked by 28 September 1999; manually
submitted preproposals must be received by 5:00 PM, 28 September 1999.